Daedric Summons
by TorsilClimber
Summary: Tareth, a Daedra bored with his repetitive life in his master's realm longs for the life of freedom only glimpsed during previous summons. A moment of luck might provide him that chance. Rated (M) for future Chapters.


Daedra cannot stay or exist in the world of Mer. They can be summoned or inhabit the world through enchantments or portals. Only the Daedric Princes can freely enter the world and influence it, but even so they do not stay for long. Whether its because they simply grow bored or are forbidden is unknown to me. Not that I care, although I wished to know what it was like.

I was summoned once. A young conjurer in some college accidentally summoned me. I was working in the pits of agony and song of my prince when suddenly a sharp pain gripped me, like an axe in my shoulder and then with an ear wrenching *pop* I was standing in a wonderfully decorated room lined with bookshelves and magical oddities. I stood in awe looking around my surrounding that it took a moment to finally notice the trembling young wizard kneeling at the edge of the summoning circle. He must have realized how badly he fucked up as I smiled. Without remorse or hesitation I reached out and grabbed him by the front of his robe. Even as I reappeared in my realm and threw him into one of the now empty cages I couldn't help but think about the place I had been. It was my first time in the world of Mer, but as time went on I wondered. What was it really like over there?

Over time my curiosity grew and I started asking questions of those I tortured. Most were wizards so they were quite knowledgeable and in return for answering my questions I would ease off their lessons. Sure enough there were only two way that anyone knew of for me to ever go back to the world of men, but I didn't want to be at the beck and call of some lesser being, nor did I want to be there under the volition of my master (as unlikely as it was that was) although after talking to one enchanter I begun to wonder. If necromancers can use Soul Gems to transfer energies across planes such as the soul carne and the world of mer perhaps there was a way to do the same between my realm and that of mer? But all magic had a price... and surely this would as well. His longing and dreams would be a reality one day we thought while releasing one prisoners cage from the wall and letting it slowly descend onto red hot spears.

"You are a curious one for a Daedra Princes mindless guard." The voice came from one of the hanging cages near the far wall. I had never taken note of this prisoner before due to her common appearance, quiet tongue, and not being one of my charges.

"What is it to you elf?" I asked. The elf sat up and smiled. "I have heard you asking questions of the other unfortunate souls trapped here. Is it my understanding that you are curious of my realm?" I laughed, this elf had gall to talk to me so! "If I do or not is no concern of yours." The elf's face was unreadable for a second. Then she smiled. "Oh, but I think it might be. I use to be a very powerful mage before I was thrown in here by one of my students seeking to take my place. If you truly want to go there I can help make it happen." I couldn't believe it, this would be my dream come true... But of course I had heard many people promise everything they could to escape this place. On the other hand there was something I could do that this elf didn't realize. During my time of talking to wizards, I had also learned magic. "What are you proposing elf?" The elf stood up and walked to the bars causing the cage to swing back and forth. "I have been thinking about this for a long time, and I think I know how you can stay in the realm of man indefinitely. However, for my plan to work, I would have to be there myself." I laughed, of course. "Do you take me for an idiot?" Laughing I walked away from the cage. But her words burned in my mind, was she telling the truth? As time passed I thought about it more and more until I couldn't think about anything else.

Kicking her cage I woke the elf up, "What is your plan? If I decided to let you go." Her body was covered in welts and gaping wounds from today's torture. She bolted up grimacing in pain. "You were partially right. If you want to go and stay in my world of your own volition, then you will need to transfer yourself between the plain in a different manner." She paused. "Unfortunately only a daedra or aedra can do this. Usually by transferring their essence to a vessel, because when they are physically present their essence is too strained. They need a vessel. But a statue or item would still not give you the freedom you seem to desire." I was getting impatient again. "I already know all this!. Apparently you are just trying to waste my time..." She jumped up as I turned to walk away, "No wait! I do know a way", she paused, "but you'll have to trust me." I turned back. "How so?" She looked at me and smiled. "You will have to let me go back into the world so I can summon you. I still have a few things to read and learn to make sure I get it right, but once summoned you will be able to stay under your own will. So long as you can be patient. If my plan is successful not only will we both get out of here, I can also gain my revenge." More then anything I could tell her desire for revenge was honest. Besides, what would I lose by setting one free? Walking away and turning my back I used magicka to release the lock on her cage. As she hurried down the hallway she paused long enough to ask, "Your name? I'll need it to summon you." I smiled showing a rows of needle like teeth, "Tareth." She nodded then disappeared.

Time passed. There wasn't an exact correlation between the time of this realm and that of the world of Mer, but I knew that the female elf had lied to me. I hadn't expected her to remember or keep her word. Hell I wasn't even sure if she had made it back to her realm. For all I knew she had died. I had completely given up the thought of making it out of this darkness that my master commanded when suddenly I felt it. It wasn't the axe like pain from before, no this was different. More precise and insistent. My heart felt like ice as I was pulled away. Everything faded to black then slowly My eyes adjusted to the light. I was in a wooded clearing. And I was... A sharp pain spread across my chest like nothing I had felt before grabbing my chest I doubled over. Most daedra were summoned into armor as a way of holding them in the realm and under containment, but this was different my eyes were closed in pain. Slowly I opened my eyes as the pain ebbed away. There were several people in the clearing standing around an intricately laid out pattern. Slowly as my senses returned I stood up and looked around. There, at the edge of the circle in the most radiant of robes stood the elf. She had aged, laugh lines lined the corners of her eyes and mouth. I smiled at her and she nodded in respect. She had kept her word, for that I owed her my new lease on life and so much more. A fact I knew she would collect on.


End file.
